Treatment of Taste & Smell Disorders

Because the senses of smell and taste are so interconnected, smell and taste disorders often go hand-in-hand. Losing some or all of your sense of smell and taste can dramatically affect your quality of life, making you unable to enjoy many of your favorite foods, or simple pleasures like the smell of a beautiful spring day. What’s more, an impaired sense of smell and taste can render you unable to detect certain danger signals, such as the smell of fire or chemicals, or the taste of spoiled food. Even more alarming, in certain cases, altered smell or taste could signal more serious medical conditions, such as diabetes, malnutrition, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and MS. If you are experiencing trouble perceiving smell or taste, or have altered smell or taste, you should come in to be evaluated. Dr. Shin will determine the cause of your condition and discuss treatment options with you.

What are smell and taste disorders?

Sensory cells in the nose, mouth, and throat play an important role in helping our brains to interpret smells and flavors. In rare cases, people can be born without a sense of smell or taste. In other cases, something happens to affect these important senses. Smell and taste disorders can include:

Partial or complete loss of ability to smell

Altered sense of smell

Perception of phantom smells

Partial or complete loss of ability to perceive taste

Distorted sense of taste

Perception of phantom tastes

What causes smell and taste disorders?

There are many different things that can cause an altered, reduced, or lost ability to perceive odors and flavors. Dr. Shin will thoroughly evaluate your condition to determine the cause and recommend the best treatment for you.

Causes for smell and taste disorders may include:

Injury

Illness

Upper respiratory infection

Sinus infection

Nasal polyps

Hormonal disturbances

Chemical exposure

Certain medications

Oral health problems

Radiation treatments

Congenital conditions

How are smell and taste disorders treated?

Treatment will depend on many factors, including the cause for and severity of your condition. Treatment might include medications, surgery, or other treatments. Dr. Shin will evaluate your condition and thoroughly discuss all the appropriate treatment options with you.

How do I get more information about smell and taste disorders?

Dr. Shin and his team will be happy to discuss smell and taste disorders with you. Please call 646.943.7985 to arrange for a private consultation or schedule an appointment online at our New York office.